Breath of the Wild: The People's Champion
by AuthorOfTheUniverse2401
Summary: A novelization of the most recent Zelda game. Link knows that he must save Hyrule from Ganon as its last remaining champion. He must honor the sacrifices made by the princess, her father, and the deceased champions. But as he continues to travel through the ruined kingdom of Hyrule, he finds he owes it to himself to help someone else: the common people.
1. Answer the Call

…

…

 _Link…_

 _Open your eyes._

 _Wake up, Link._

* * *

The light was almost blinding.

His thoughts came slow and groggy. The familiar awful taste of a long sleep lingered in his mouth. There was a blue light above him, though he felt no heat from it.

In fact, he felt pretty wet all over.

With a groan of exertion, he turned over on his side just in time to see a strange glowing blue liquid descend into his stone bed. Wait, what was he doing in a stone bed? Come to think of it, where was he? This dark room certainly didn't feel very familiar with its ornate stone floor and blue lights everywhere.

Then he looked up and saw two things of interest: a stone pedestal glowing blue like the tub and lamp and what must have been a door. Since he could see no handle, knob, or any other way of opening the door, he decided to investigate the pedestal first.

Link sat up on his now dry bed, which he noticed was more like a tub of some kind. He yawned and stretched, wincing at the pain of latent muscles being suddenly put to work. He swung his legs off and stood up.

Then his legs buckled underneath him, and he shouted in distress. He was now lying on his back on the ground. He sighed in frustration and grabbed the side of the tub, pulling himself up.

 _Please be careful, Link. You haven't had to stand or walk for a very long time._

Link looked around wildly for the source of the voice, the same one he had woken up to. He had assumed it to be part of his dream, yet here he was in the waking world hearing it all the same.

 _I'm not there with you, though I wish I could be. When you get your bearings, go to the glowing pedestal._

The voice resonating in Link's mind sounded familiar, yet he couldn't place who it was. This angered him for some reason, though he didn't have time for anger.

Link looked again to the pedestal. Strangely, even those few steps he would have to take seemed like a monumental effort. He could feel his strength returning little by little, though the thought that walking was so difficult scared him.

With a deep breath, Link took a step forward, letting go of the tub as he did so. His legs wobbling every step of the way, he made his way to the pedestal at a snail's pace. After what seemed like an eternity, Link practically collapsed against the cold stone. His heart was racing and his breath heavy as he regained his bearings. He heard a click and watched as a small panel in the middle flipped around.

 _The fatigue will wear off soon. Watch your head._

Link didn't even have time to look up in confusion as the panel stood straight up and smacked him in the face.

He shook his head and rubbed his nose. Soft laughter reverberated through his mind. It was infectious, and Link found himself smiling without even realizing it.

 _That is a Sheikah Slate. Take it. It will help guide you after your long slumber._

Link realized she was referring to the panel. Cautiously, he stood up straight and took the "Sheikah Slate." He turned it over in his hands, inspecting every detail. The same strange orange and blue lines that he had seen all over the room so far covered the stone slab. On one side was a design of a blue eye with a single tear. On the other was a dark blue screen made of some smooth material. It too sported the glowing blue eye. Link had never seen anything like it…yet it felt so familiar.

Link jumped at a loud rumbling, snapping him out of his thoughts. The door was opening piece by piece, and the steam hanging in the air rushed out. He stepped through the doorway (his legs weren't wobbling anymore, but he still went slow to be safe) and found himself in a dark chamber. His shadow reached all the way up to a set of steps before it faded away. At the end was another door sealed tight.

He grinned excitedly at what else was occupying the room: two treasure chests. He ignored the crates and other things lying around and hurried over. The first contained a pair of well-worn trousers, a belt, and a pair of shoes while the second contained an old shirt. It was then that he realized he was clothed in nothing but tight-fitting underwear. He blushed profusely and hoped whoever it was talking to him couldn't see what he looked like. The clothes were rather small and torn in several places, but he would gladly take them over running around in his undergarments.

He walked down the steps and noticed another pedestal, this one glowing orange. It had no place to fit the Sheikah Slate, instead having a large blue eye in its center.

 _Hold the Sheikah Slate up to the pedestal. That will show you the way._

Link then realized he had no idea why he was following the mysterious voice's every word. Perhaps he had gone crazy and was hearing things that weren't there.

 _You are not losing your mind._

Somehow the voice sounded a bit more strained than before.

Link took the Slate in his hand. He looked between it and the pedestal, then placed the screen against the stone. There was a flash and the pedestal turned blue. Another rumbling as a second door opened, letting bright sunlight in. Link squinted and held his hand up to shield his eyes. All he could see outside was the golden light of dawn.

 _Link… You are the light – our light – that must shine upon Hyrule once again._

 _Now go…_

And suddenly Link felt the presence beginning to fade from his mind. He felt something then: a word…no, a name on the tip of his tongue.

The mysterious voice vanished before he could figure out what it was he was about to say.

* * *

Link did a slight jog onto cool grass still wet with morning dew. His fatigue was indeed fading away by the second. He came upon a high rise and gasped at what he saw.

The view was incredible. The uncertain morning light cast everything in mysterious shadow. A forest covered the land in front of him. But that was only on the plateau he discovered he was on. In the distance he could see so much more. There a volcano spewing an endless ash cloud into the atmosphere. There a high mountain with an enormous bird slowly circling it. A huge grassy plain far away. And beyond that, a grand and glorious castle in the middle of the wild. All ripe for exploration and adventure. The thought of it made Link's heart race and his face light up.

He gazed to his right and saw a great temple. But what took his attention more was something unprecedented. There was someone staring up at him. From this distance he merely appeared as a silhouette, a hooded figure with a large walking stick and white beard.

Link also had the distinct feeling the man was watching him. The fact that the man turned away the moment Link noticed him only confirmed this.

Link jogged downhill. The mystery man had set up a campfire under a rock shelter. Now Link could make out more details about him: his raggedy hooded cloak, his skin darkened from long days spent outdoors, his incredible height and imposing figure. Link guessed that the man was old, though how old exactly eluded him. This did not mean the old man wasn't dangerous. Cautiously, Link stood and stared at the man with his arms crossed.

The old man looked up at Link cheerfully. "It is rare to see another soul in these parts," he greeted. His voice was deep and commanding, yet not unpleasant.

Link opened his mouth, then found that his throat was parched. The old man frowned. "Something wrong, my boy?"

"Water," Link rasped. The old man reached into his cloak and produced a canteen, quickly handing it to the boy. Link drank greedily, not pausing for breath until the canteen felt much lighter.

"You can keep that if you'd like," the old man said with concern. "Please, sit down."

Rather than sitting with the stranger on the log near the fire, Link decided to sit down on the ground right where he was standing. "Who are you?" he asked. His voice came out as a croak, but at least he didn't feel as thirsty.

"Me? I'll spare you my life story." The old man shifted in his seat. "I'm just an old fool who has lived here alone for quite some time now."

"Do you have a name?" Link asked. "Or should I just call you 'Old Man?'"

The Old Man smiled at that. "You are clearly a man of many questions. I suppose if you must call me by something, Daphnes is as good a name as any."

Link stared at Daphnes, taking in the very strange name.

"I think I'll stick with calling you 'Old Man,'" Link said finally.

"Oho ho!" Daphnes laughed loudly. "I thought you might. I'll be the first to admit it is not the best name. How about you, stranger? What do they call you?"

"Link," the young man said. He suddenly sniffed the air. He smelled something sweet. His stomach growling made him realize something: he was very _very_ hungry. Without thinking, he looked to the source of the smell – an apple sitting next to him – and took a bite. He relished at the sweet taste and noted with some surprise how hot it was.

"I BEG YOUR PARDON!" Daphnes shouted. Link leapt to his feet, nearly dropping the precious food. "I do believe that is _my_ baked apple! You can't just go about taking whatever you please!"

"I-I'm sorry!" Link said, his face heating up at the sudden embarrassment. "I couldn't help myself, I was just so hungry I…" He trailed off when he realized Daphnes was smiling again.

"Oho ho!" he laughed. "Forgive me – I could not resist pulling your leg. Please help yourself, an apple and an open flame make for a succulent treat."

Link shook his head and sat back down, continuing to eat the apple. "You just about scared me to death!"

Daphnes shook his head, still grinning. "My boy, you must learn to loosen up a bit. A sense of humor is necessary to stay sane in this world." He suddenly looked dead serious. "So…what brings a bright-eyed young man like yourself to a place like this?"

Link hesitated. He took a breath, then closed his mouth again.

He had no answer for the Old Man.

He thought long and hard, but he found no memory of how he came to be in a tub of glowing blue water in an ancient stone chamber on a plateau in the middle of the wild. In fact, now that the grogginess of sleep was wearing off he found himself without _any_ memory whatsoever. He couldn't remember his age. He couldn't remember his home. He couldn't remember anyone he might know. He couldn't even remember his last name, assuming he had one. It was a harrowing thought.

The only image he could conjure in his mind was a young woman silhouetted by golden light. Who was she? What did she look like? Where was she now? Why was he so infuriated at himself for not being able to remember her? All these questions and more plagued Link's mind the longer he sat there.

He realized he had been sitting there in silence for a while now, and Daphnes was giving him a puzzled look. Link decided to play it safe and not let the stranger in on his turmoil.

"Where are we?" he finally asked.

Daphnes nodded thoughtfully. "Answering a question with a question. That is fair enough." He stood up, leaning on his tall cane for support. "As I cannot imagine our meeting to be a simple coincidence…I shall tell you."

Link stood up and followed the old man as he walked around the canopy and downhill more.

"This is the Great Plateau," Daphnes said as they walked. "According to legend, this is the birthplace of the entire kingdom of Hyrule." He stopped suddenly and turned. He pointed with his cane, and Link followed his gaze to the large temple he had seen earlier.

"That temple there," the old man continued. "Long ago, it was the site of many sacred ceremonies."

"But not anymore, it seems," Link said, noticing the caved-in roof and moss-covered walls even from this distance.

"Indeed," the old man replied, his eyes closed. "Ever since the decline of the kingdom 100 years ago, it has sat abandoned in a state of decay." He opened his eyes and began hiking back to his camp. "Yet another forgotten entity, a mere ghost of its former self."

Something about Daphnes's tone seemed off to Link. It almost sounded as if he were referring to himself rather than the temple. He made to follow the old man when he stopped. It sounded like someone had called him.

…

No, it was that presence again, the same familiar yet mysterious voice he had felt in the chamber.

 _Link…_

Link looked around frantically, trying in vain to get some idea of where the voice originated from. It was so faint he could barely hear it.

 _ **Link.**_

He stopped at the voice's commanding tone, taking a deep breath. It wouldn't do to panic now.

 _Head for the point marked on the map in your Sheikah Slate._

And just like that she was already fading from his mind.

"No, wait!" he shouted to the sky. But it was too late. The only thoughts that were filling his mind now were his own. He sighed. He still couldn't help but feel he knew the voice's owner. Even now he could feel her name trying to escape his lips, yet no sound escaped them.

"Did you need something else, my boy?" Link looked up. Daphnes had stopped and was staring at him from on the hill.

"I, uh…want to borrow your axe," Link said, pointing to said object embedded in the tree trunk next to him.

The Old Man shrugged. "You can have it if you'd like. I have another one. Besides, you'll need something to protect yourself if you plan on venturing anywhere on the plateau. There are Bokoblins everywhere!"

Link looked to the axe. It was a simple thing; just a large one-sided blade with a long wooden shaft. With some effort, he pulled the axe free of the stump and hung it on his back.

He then realized he still hadn't done what the voice commanded and took out his Slate. Indeed, the screen was not blank as he had first thought, but had a map of some kind on display. There were thin lines – borders no doubt, yet he had first assumed them to be cracks – running along all over it. There was a single flashing yellow dot some distance northeast of his location (represented by a yellow arrow pointed where he was facing). It was quite the strange and unique device, yet he still couldn't shake the feeling that he had held it before.

He looked at the point on the map. There was a long expanse of rocky ground until a small outcropping of rocks formed a cave of sorts. But there were small humanoids with bright red hides walking around and sniffing the air with pig snouts. Instinctively, he knew them to be Bokoblins.

He hiked down further. He had a lot of trekking to do.

* * *

Link peered down curiously at the small camp he had come across. There were three Bokoblins dancing around a fire with a huge slab of meat. Link's hunger once again came to the forefront of his mind (he found that his hunger never truly had gone away since he had woken up). Of course, he knew the monsters weren't going to be too willing to share, yet he didn't like his odds in a three-on-one battle.

Then he turned to his right and grinned at the solution to his predicament.

He pushed the boulder down the hill and watched as it crushed each Bokoblin in turn.

He slid down and strutted right up to the fire. "Don't suppose you guys will be needing this anymore." He turned to the Bokoblins. His eyes widened when he saw they were no longer there, instead replaced by a large puddle of black sludge quickly evaporating away from under the boulder.

"Okay…" Link said, shrugging and taking a bite of meat.

* * *

After finishing his meal, Link continued his trek across the plateau to the cave. The only issue he encountered along the way was two Bokoblins with bows and arrows, but they were easily circumvented by approaching the cave from the back.

Link peered inside. The ground of the cave was the same smooth black stone with strange markings as in the chamber. There was another pedestal as well, this one with a rectangular indentation the perfect size for the Sheikah Slate.

He was about to step inside when he heard many footsteps approaching. And then he turned around and saw them: ten red Bokoblins led by a single blue one. All of them were glaring right at him.

"I don't suppose you boys are friends with the three over there, are you?" Link said, pointing in the direction of the camp he had ransacked before.

The blue one bared its crooked yellow fangs at him.

"I see…" Link tried to figure out how he could possibly get out of this with his life.

Then a long howl filled the air. All the Bokoblins looked around in a wild panic. The blue one snarled at its underlings to get them in line, but even as the first howl faded away another took its place. All the red Bokoblins scattered instantly, their fear-filled screeches accompanying the howls. The blue Bokoblin turned around and snarled at its comrades.

Then its face was split open by Link's axe.

Link looked around and saw it: a four-legged figure far off in the distance at the top of a hill. He stared at it curiously as the creature stared back at him. After almost a minute, it turned and padded down the hill.

Link needed to know what that thing was that scared nearly a dozen monsters away by its mere presence. But he also needed to know what was so important about this cave. Only one of these was close at hand.

Link, his axe returned to his back, placed the Sheikah Slate on the pedestal. After the Sheikah Slate was pulled into it, words began appearing on the Slate's screen. Link blinked in surprise as he read the message.

[Sheikah Tower activated.] the message said. [Please watch for falling rocks.]

Link barely had time to give a confused look before he felt the earth tremble all around him. He dove toward the pedestal as the cave collapsed.

* * *

Gruve woke to the earth shaking around him. He rolled onto his front, heart racing as he felt some invisible force pushing him flat against the ground.

Then just as quickly as it had begun, the shaking stopped.

Gruve stood carefully, his legs still feeling unsteady. He looked down and jumped back. He had suddenly found himself high above the ground with no conceivable way down that didn't involve becoming a colorful stain on the ground. Cautiously, he stepped forward to peer down. He could just make out Prince Sidon's form on Inigo Bridge looking around wildly. No doubt he had heard the great tremors.

"PRINCE SIDON!" Gruve shouted. "YOUR HIGHNESS!"

But it was no use. The Zora Prince gave no indication of hearing his subject's cries. Gruve sighed and sat down. He anticipated that he would be there for a long time.

The rain began falling harder as a faint trumpeting sound could be heard.

* * *

Teba watched Vah Medoh like…well, like a hawk.

The Rito hadn't moved from his perch at Revali's Landing all day. He needed to stay up there to make sure the Divine Beast didn't get any closer. He was shocked that Kaneli wasn't as worried as he should be. It didn't matter that the Divine Beast was once a protector of their village! The old bird was blinded by nostalgia it seemed. Nostalgia for a time he hadn't even been a part of!

He was snapped from his thoughts by Vah Medoh's distinct screeching. He looked up, his bow already in hand before he could even think about it. But he noted with surprise that the thing wasn't circling closer. No…it was actually flying away from the village! And at a remarkable speed it had never demonstrated before.

He saw it slow above the ruins of an old Hylian soldier barracks. He knew those ruins well; he had taken his son to see them before they had become swamped by Malice and overtaken by monsters years ago.

There was a new addition to the ruins: a great stone tower was rising from them, Malice dripping off the sides visible even from this distance. Vah Medoh was about to pass directly over it. As it approached, the Divine Beast's distinct red energy field appeared, as did its defense turrets. The turrets each took aim at the tower and began firing a barrage of explosive light beams. Teba was amazed when he noticed the tower didn't even slow down. Nothing was stopping its advance to the heavens.

Vah Medoh passed right over the tower, having done nothing to deter its progress. The tower finally stopped at its full height before the Divine Beast could make another pass.

"Teba!" The Rito turned around and saw his friend Harth had landed next to him.

"Everyone heard the Divine Beast and saw it fly away!" his friend explained. He looked at the tower Teba had been watching. "What just happened?"

Teba looked back and his heart nearly stopped. Vah Medoh was turning around and heading right for the village. Teba turned to Harth frantically.

"Get your bow and all your bomb arrows!" Teba said. "We need to shoot that thing out of the sky!"

* * *

Beedle stopped for a moment to catch his breath. The hike to Goron City was a lot more trying than he had thought it would be at first. Even with his Fireproof Elixirs, the heat was bearing down on him like a physical force pushing him into the earth.

With a huff he heaved his pack onto his back and set out again. The moment he took that first step down the path he felt the earth begin to rumble. He looked up to see a tower rising into the sky in the cliffs off the path. Immediately following that was a roar louder than any Lynel was capable of. Beedle looked up at Death Mountain and gasped at the sight of a massive beast climbing to the very top. It roared again as massive flaming boulders erupted from the volcano… _falling directly on the tower next to Beedle!_

Beedle turned around and ran for his life. Even he wasn't brazen enough to peddle in Goron City with that thing raining fiery death all along the mountain.

* * *

Sudrey sighed. She supposed she should be honored that Lady Riju had entrusted her with the all-important and dangerous task of monitoring the Divine Beast's activity. Instead, she was mostly bored.

All the thing seemed to do was stomp in circles in the one area of the desert, whipping up sandstorms and lightning wherever it went. Watching that all day was really starting to take a toll on her sanity.

So she had taken up the habit of watching people travel in and out of the desert through the canyon to the northeast. She would get something different every day. Sometimes a single person could be seen trekking across the sand. Sometimes an entire caravan of people. Hylians, Gorons, and Rito all passed through at varying intervals. She had never seen a Zora, though. This was a desert after all.

Then something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She stared with mouth agape at what she saw. She blinked, yet it seemed the great stone tower rising from the cliffs was no illusion.

A low moan reverberated through the desert and seemed to shake the very air. Sudrey knew that call well: Vah Naboris made that sound whenever it was about to cause a lightning strike. As she watched the tower continue to rise, a lightning bolt struck the top. Then another. Then many more. But even from this distance, Sudrey could see the tower wasn't even slowing under the relentless onslaught of electricity.

Finally, the tower stopped, as did the lightning. The tower began glowing a soft orange as the Divine Beast returned to roaming the desert.

* * *

Flik caught his breath in a tree. But even from its very top branches he could find no sign of intelligent life.

He sighed. Kakariko Village felt so far away now. He hadn't any idea how long he had been travelling, only that it would probably take much longer to get back. Mainly because he was hopelessly lost.

Flik was still trying to figure out why he had left. It was so uncharacteristic of him to simply act without thinking. Among his many brothers and sisters, he had prided himself with his rational thinking skills and excellent foresight greater than all of theirs. Yet here he was, blindly wandering the wild without a clue as to what he was doing.

He had been desperate. If someone didn't do something soon, she would…no, best not to consider that possibility. The very thought of it made him shiver. That was why he had acted so rashly, yes that must have been it: desperation.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he felt the ground rumble through the tree he was perched in. He looked up and gasped with shock. Bursting from the ground in a shower of stone and dirt was a great tower. Suddenly the moss-covered Guardians around him shuddered and began glowing with light the same as the Malice. He nearly jumped out of the tree when all of them turned and looked at the tower. Blue energy beams shot from their eyes. Many _many_ explosions made a great cacophony in the air as the tower was hit from all sides with maximum force. Yet nothing deterred its progress. Flik found it to be almost inspiring.

Finally, after revealing its true magnificent height (Flik was sure it had to be at least 100 meters tall), the Guardians stopped their onslaught of the tower and went dormant once again.

Flik found himself awed and slightly confused at what had just transpired.

* * *

Link finally let go of the pedestal, still feeling the tremors long after they had ceased. He looked around and saw nothing but blue skies and the high mountain tops to the northwest. As incredible as it seemed, he must have been closer to the heavens now than he had ever been in his life. Even without his memory he could at least be sure of that.

He heard a dripping sound and turned to look at the pedestal. The Sheikah Slate, completely forgotten in the excitement, was now glowing a bright blue. It flipped around, allowing him to remove it. To his amazement there was a map on the Slate more detailed than he thought possible. Everything on the plateau from the smallest pond to even the entire ruins to the southeast was shown with every minute detail.

He felt that presence again. It was warm and familiar, yet still the name of this presence eluded him.

… _Remember…_

 _Try…Try to remember…_

This time he could discern where it was coming from. He turned and walked to the edge of the tower. From here he had a clear view of the wild once again. He could see that similar towers had sprouted up across the land, their distinct orange glow visible from a great distance.

What drew his attention most, however, was the golden light emanating from the castle in the distance. He instinctively knew it to be the source of the mysterious voice.

 _You have been asleep for one hundred years._

Link gasped as the ground rumbled again, as if a great creature were forcing its way through the rock.

 _The beast…_

The castle was suddenly obscured from view by a cloud of red and black smoke like a serpent constricting its prey. Link could see the vague shape of a monstrous boar's head, many times bigger than any living thing rightly should be, circling the castle and rising into the sky. The boar's head opened its mouth far too wide and roared in triumph at the heavens. Compared to the great darkness, Link thought the dot of gold light to be almost pathetic.

Then the boar turned those horrible yellow eyes upon the plateau.

Upon Link.

 _When the beast regains its true power, the world will face its end._

Gazing upon the creature now, Link had no doubt this statement was true. The light suddenly grew in intensity. The boar roared in pain, its form dissolving. The black mist continued to envelop the castle even as the light began to fade.

 _Now then…You must hurry, Link._

 _Before it's too late._

* * *

 **A/N: And there we have it, the beginning of a new novelization. I've been meaning to get this started for a while, but between college work and certain issues at home, I just couldn't work up the motivation to get this started. Anyway, I'm surprised this turned out so short, but I think I got all that I wanted to get out for the first chapter. I laid the foundations for a couple characters that will come up much later, some familiar and others new. And yes, a certain canine companion will be showing up sooner or later. Can't wait for him to come along. I'm hoping I didn't overdo it and turn this into a massive wall of purple prose. Be sure to let me know what you think about it.**


	2. The Isolated Plateau

Link hopped down off the last step onto solid ground. He had had a moment of panic earlier when he had thought he wouldn't be able to get down from the tower without serious injury. However, after noticing the conveniently placed platforms lining the side of the tower and the easily-gripped wire mesh that formed the tower's wall, it was a simple matter to get down.

He sighed. He hadn't received any new instructions from the mysterious voice after seeing the beast circling the castle and was now at a loss as to what he would do. He had to get to that castle, but he had a feeling that jumping off the plateau would be the most foolhardy thing imaginable.

"Ho!" called a familiar voice. Link looked around wildly before seeing the source of the call. Gliding in from above Link, Daphnes landed in front of the amnesiac. He folded the strange contraption he had used to glide through the air and placed it in his pack.

"My, my," the Old Man said, pulling his walking stick off his back. "It would seem we have quite the enigma here. This tower and others just like it have erupted across the land, one after another. It is almost as though…a long-dormant power has awoken quite suddenly."

Link thought back to what he had seen atop the tower: the golden light in the castle, the other towers, and the dark beast. "Yes, I agree," he said.

Daphnes looked at Link expectantly. "If you do not mind me asking," he said, "did anything…odd occur while you were atop that tower?"

Link debated with himself on how he should answer. On the one hand he didn't know anything about this man other than his name. Link didn't want to look like a madman claiming he was hearing voices. On the other hand, he was the only other intelligent being on this plateau aside from himself and the Bokoblins. Plus, there was something in the Old Man's tone that suggested he already knew what had happened to Link atop the tower.

He finally opted to trust Daphnes for now. Mostly because he did not want to ask the Bokoblins for directions. "I heard a voice."

"Well now! A voice, you say?" Daphnes asked. "And did you happen to recognize this voice?"

"I feel as if I have heard the voice before," Link explained, "but I don't remember who it could be."

Link thought he saw disappointment in the Old Man's eyes. "I see," he said. "Well, that is unfortunate." He turned and pointed at a point in the distance with his walking stick. "I assume you caught sight of that atrocity enshrouding the castle."

Link turned and looked at the smoke-covered castle again. "You'd have to be blind _and_ deaf to not notice that thing," Link said. "It's a giant roaring boar's head made of red and black smoke." The longer he stared at the structure, the more he felt his heart race. What was the cause? Dread? Anticipation? Excitement? A bizarre combination of the three?

"Quite true," Daphnes said. He sighed. "That…is Calamity Ganon."

Link gave an involuntary shudder at the name, though Daphnes did not seem to notice as he continued. "One hundred years ago, that vile entity brought the kingdom of Hyrule to ruin. It appeared suddenly and destroyed everything in its path." Daphnes closed his eyes and Link suddenly felt that in that moment, the man looked much older. "So many innocent lives were lost in its wake. For a century, the very symbol of our kingdom, Hyrule Castle, has managed to contain that evil. But just barely. There it slumbers, waiting for the moment it will unleash its blight upon the kingdom once again." He suddenly opened his eyes. "It would appear that moment is fast approaching."

The Old Man turned to address Link. "I must ask you, courageous one," he said, "do you intend to make your way to the castle?"

"I do," Link said, not even having to think before he gave his answer.

Daphnes chuckled slightly. "I had a feeling you would say that." He turned to look at the dilapidated stone walls lining the edge of the plateau. "Here on this isolated plateau, we are surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs, with no way down. If you were to try to jump off, well…no death would be more certain. Or more foolish." He got a strange twinkle in his eye. "Of course, if you had a paraglider like mine, that would be quite another story."

"Hand it over," Link said, his hand already outstretched to accept the one thing that could get him down.

"Oho! Certainly! Why not?" Daphnes said, not even phased by Link's lack of tact. "But there is no such thing as a free item in this world, you know." He stroked his beard in thought. "Let's see now…how about I trade it for a bit of treasure that slumbers nearby?"

"Deal," Link said.

The Old Man laughed. "Quite hasty of you, my boy! I haven't even told you what I want yet."

"I'll get you anything," Link said, "as long as you can get me off this plateau and towards that castle."

Daphnes nodded. "I admire your conviction, though I warn you not to leap into deals so easily in the future." He began to walk away. "Come, let me show you something."

Link followed Daphnes to the top of a small hill, really more of a boulder embedded in the ground from the tower's eruption. The Old Man pointed at a point in the distance. Across a deep pond with a broken bridge, Link could see a small temple of some kind. It was glowing orange like the towers and was made of the same black stone Link had seen in the chamber he had awoken in.

"That structure began glowing at the exact moment those towers rose up from the ground," Daphnes explained. "I would think such a place might house some sort of treasure, wouldn't you?"

"So, I just get you the treasure and you give me the paraglider, right?" Link asked, giving the Old Man an impatient look.

"A fair exchange, I believe," Daphnes said.

Link looked at the shrine and took a deep breath. "I'll see you in less than an hour with the treasure."

"I'd offer you good luck, but I have confidence you won't need it," Daphnes said with a smile as Link walked down the hill.

Link looked around. He could walk around the pond and get to the shrine without much difficulty. However, he had a feeling that the treasure inside wouldn't be easy to obtain and wanted to be prepared for anything. He took stock of his equipment. He had a club and a wooden shield he took from the blue Bokoblin from earlier and the axe the Old Man had gifted him. That might be enough, but Link still wanted something else.

A screeching off to his right alerted him to the solution to his dilemma. Link crouched low to the ground and peered past a series of wooden posts with crude carvings drawn in them. He had discovered another Bokoblin camp, though this one much larger than the earlier one. Three red Bokoblins danced around a cooking pot (why did all these monsters enjoy dancing around their food?) while a fourth stood on a watchtower. Link grinned at what the monster was holding: a bow and a quiver of arrows. If he could get his hands on that, Link felt he would have a much better time of things. There was a treasure chest resting atop a second watchtower that Link was interested in as well.

As for getting those two items…he wasn't too sure what he could do on that front. He didn't want to face all three of the monsters while the fourth had easy pickings at him with that bow. His best bet would be taking down the archer first.

Link crouch-walked to the side, making sure to stay out of the archer's line of sight. He hid behind a rock and took out his club and shield. Just as the Bokoblin began to turn away from him, Link leapt up and threw the club at it.

The monster fell of the watchtower and landed in a heap on the ground. Link resisted the urge to whoop at the direct hit he had managed on the back of the monster's head. Thankfully the other three monsters were too occupied with their food to notice their comrade unconscious behind them. Nevertheless, Link crawled silently up to the knocked-out Bokoblin and took the bow in his hand. He tested the string, making a satisfying _twang_ sound. He took an arrow from the Bokoblin's quiver and aimed carefully. Just before he let the arrow fly, he gave a sharp whistle.

The three Bokoblins snapped their heads in his direction just in time to watch the middle of their number be struck in the chest by an arrow. The remaining two screeched angrily and ran to pick up their clubs. Link put the bow on his back and pulled out his axe as he ran towards the leftmost one. The Bokoblin picked up its club and swung at Link. Link ducked under the attack and swung at the monster, his axe making a deep gash in the beast's side. Just as the monster began melting into sludge, Link felt a blow against his back. Grunting angrily, he turned and used the motion to slash the monster heavily. Against the full weight of Link's attack, the Bokoblin didn't stand a chance.

Link sighed with relief. His back was still sore and probably would be for a while, but he had finished the fight. He strapped the axe to his back and walked over to the unconscious Bokoblin archer. He took the monster's quiver and attached it to his belt. With that done, he hefted the monster up and tossed him over the edge of the plateau.

Inside the treasure chest he found a simple sword. He swung it a few times, testing the balance. He was grateful he had finally found a sword. Something about the weapon made him feel at ease. He was fine enough with an axe, but felt a strange kinship with the much shorter weapon in his hand.

With that done, he helped himself to the monster's food (more baked apples) and looked at the shrine. He _could_ walk around the pond to get there. But that would just take too long. He looked down at the water, judging its depth.

* * *

Soaking wet and somewhat cold, Link stepped up to the shrine. It had the same sort of door he had seen in the awakening chamber; there was no knob or handle of any kind to open it with. Of course, once he saw the same eye pedestal from the chamber, he knew that was no problem whatsoever. After sliding the Sheikah Slate across the panel, the shrine's orange markings changed to blue, just like the tower had. The platform Link was standing on also flashed and began glowing a soft blue.

Link felt a blast of cool air as the door opened piece by piece. There wasn't much inside but a strange stone platform. He stepped on the platform and recoiled slightly when it began to sink into the ground. He looked around as he emerged in the shrine's inner workings.

He was in a large flat room with two large metal panels in the middle. They looked way too heavy for any Hylian to lift. The ceiling was glowing with an otherworldly blue light. In the top left corner of the room, Link could see a pedestal identical to the one on the tower.

 _To you who sets foot in this shrine, I am Oman Au. In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I offer this trial._

The voice reverberated in Link's mind, but it was clear to him that it was not the same voice he had heard atop the tower. This one was male and sounded far more ancient. With nothing else to do, he walked up to the pedestal.

He placed the Slate and frowned in confusion at the words that appeared on the screen. [Sheikah Slate authenticated] it said. [Distilling rune…]

Link looked at the spire hanging above the slate and watched as it began glowing. After a while, the light converged at the tip of the spire and…dripped onto the slate. How could light take a liquid form like that?

When he took the Slate back, Link noticed a new icon on its screen: a red horseshoe shape in a box. Curiously, he tapped the box and flinched when the slate and his hands were covered in light. It formed that same U shape and upon closer examination, Link could see more buttons had appeared on the screen. He tapped the largest one in the middle and a light beam struck one of the metal panels in the center of the room. Link looked at the panel curiously. He lifted the Slate up to get a better look at the screen and gasped when he saw the panel move up in the air as well. Curiously, he tried turning the Slate to the left and saw the panel mimic his movements again. He grinned at this new development.

After some experimentation, he figured out the secrets of the "Magnesis rune" as the Slate called it. He could move any metal object hit by the Slate's light beam. Using the smaller buttons, he could move the object closer to and farther from himself. Once he was finally accustomed to the device's controls, he continued through the opening the panel had uncovered.

As he continued through the shrine, Link discovered the sheer versatility of the rune. Since he could move any metal object however he desired regardless of weight, he could use this to his advantage to push other objects around. He could also drop the objects from a great height on unsuspecting enemies (as the small laser-shooting machine he had found deeper in the shrine discovered).

He pondered if this was the treasure the Old Man had wanted. It was certainly very useful, and Link couldn't help but think he was being ripped off trading this incredibly useful thing for a simple paraglider. But somehow, Link felt that the Old Man wasn't one to offer such one-sided trades as that. There had to be something else in this shrine that he wanted.

Link found that something beyond a large set of double doors easily swept aside by his new toy. He gazed in wonder at what he found. Sitting in a rectangular dome of light was a man. His skin clung to his bones and his eyes were closed tightly. He was sitting cross-legged and appeared to be meditating.

Link had a hard time believing that _this_ was the treasure the Old Man wanted. For one thing, Link felt that if he tried to touch the mummified man, he would crumble to dust immediately. Also, there was the fact that it was a mummified man. What kind of treasure would that be? Still, the monk was the only point of interest left in the shrine, so Link chose to investigate.

He stepped up to the strange light dome and tapped it. The dome's surface rippled and burst apart in a flash.

 _You have proven to possess the resolve of a true hero._

The ancient voice resonated in Link's mind again, louder this time. Instinctively, Link knew this monk was the source.

 _I am Oman Au, the creator of this shrine. I am a humble monk, blessed with the sight of Goddess Hylia and dedicated to helping those who seek to defeat Ganon. With your arrival, my duty is now fulfilled. In the name of Goddess Hylia, allow me to bestow this gift upon you. Please accept this Spirit Orb._

At this, an orb appeared in front of the monk in a flash of light. It slowly floated toward Link and disappeared again into light. Link felt something then, a small presence in his chest like a second heartbeat, and he reached at it in surprise.

 _May the Goddess Smile upon you._

Suddenly, Oman Au began to fade away, his body reduced to dust in a wind Link could not feel. Link looked around, more confused than ever.

* * *

Link took a breath of fresh air as he stepped out of the shrine. Scarcely had he taken another step when he heard the Old Man call to him again. Link frowned when he saw him gliding down.

"Do you really have to show off like that?" Link asked when the Old Man landed.

"What's wrong with showing you what you will be capable of once you have my gift?" Daphnes replied with a smile. "More importantly, it seems you managed to get your hands on a Spirit Orb."

Link reached up to his chest without even thinking. "How did you know?"

"Clairvoyance!" Daphnes suddenly shouted, and Link jumped back in surprise. Then the Old Man chuckled a bit. "Or perhaps just something similar. As one gets older, it can become more difficult to see what is right before one's own eyes. However, that which was once hidden from view can often be crystal clear. Oho! But perhaps that is not true for everyone." He suddenly took a much more serious tone. "The appearance of those towers and the awakening of these shrines…it is all connected to that Sheikah Slate you carry on your hip there."

"I'm tired of your riddles, Old Man," Link said. "Can I have my paraglider now?"

"I wasn't finished talking!" Daphnes replied. Link huffed impatiently and motioned for the Old Man to go on. "Long ago, a highly advanced tribe known as the Sheikah inhabited these lands. The great power of their wisdom saved the kingdom time and time again. But their ancient technology disappeared long ago…or so it is said. It is interesting, however, to think…how something like that survived all this time, hidden away in a shrine.

"These shrines are located in numerous places across this land. On this plateau alone, I believe there are still three more. Bring me the treasure from each of those shrines…and I will give you my paraglider."

Link gave Daphnes an angry look. "So you're just changing the rules of this deal on a whim now?"

Daphnes smiled. "I said I wanted you to bring me treasure, though I never mentioned I only wanted one."

Link shook his head. His opinion of this man was lowering by the second.

"I suggest looking for these shrines from atop a high place," Daphnes said. "For example, the tower you awakened earlier today."

"It'll be nightfall by the time I get to the top of that again," Link pointed out. The sky was turning orange as the sun was beginning to lower into the horizon.

"If you climbed it the normal way, then yes," Daphnes conceded. "But there is another function of your Sheikah Slate that will make climbing the tower much easier. If you look at the map, you will see icons representing the chamber you awoke in, the shrine you just exited, and the tower. You can travel instantly to any of those places by tapping them on the map." The Old Man looked out to the forest near them. "But perhaps you should save that for another time. It is getting late and even this isolated plateau is dangerous to travel alone in the night. Would you mind terribly if you joined me at my camp?"

Link was considering declining, but his rumbling stomach betrayed his inner thoughts. "Sure thing."

* * *

The moon was out and the stars had appeared in the sky by the time Link was eating his dinner. Daphnes had helped him track down a boar and prepare it to eat. Link found that food preparation was something he was remarkably good at. Sure, they had simply roasted the boar over a fire, but Link still wanted to get his hands on some real cooking utensils once he was off this plateau.

"You seem as if there is something on your mind," Daphnes said. Link looked up and finished his last bite of meat. The Old Man was right about that. Mainly, he was curious why Daphnes hadn't eaten anything yet. However, there were a few more important questions on his mind.

"The monsters I kill," Link said, "why is it that they turn into black sludge when they die?"

Daphnes nodded. "The substance you describe is called Malice. It is the lifeblood of all monsters in this world. It is the very power Calamity Ganon used to destroy Hyrule 100 years ago. You may find large concentrations of it in some places where Ganon's influence is stronger. It is highly toxic and burns any living thing it touches that isn't one of Ganon's creations."

Link nodded. That was one question answered, a few hundred to go. Still, he decided to stick with questions Daphnes could conceivably answer.

"Before I rose the tower I was attacked by almost a dozen Bokoblins," Link said. "However, they all ran away when they heard this howling sound. Do you know what it is they might have been afraid of?"

"You speak of the beast wandering this plateau," Daphnes explained. "It appeared a few years ago quite suddenly. I know not its origin, only that there were no wolves here before it made its presence known. Any monster that faces it in combat feels death by its fangs, so they all tend to give it a wide berth."

"And what about you?" Link asked.

"Strangely, the beast never showed any interest in me," he replied. "I have encountered it before, but all it ever wants to do is give me odd looks until I leave."

"Maybe he thinks you're unappetizing," Link suggested.

"Oho! I am not sure whether or not I should feel insulted," Daphnes said.

"Yes, well –"

 _Ribbit!_

"What was that?!" Link exclaimed, looking around frantically.

"I believe that was just a frog," Daphnes said.

"Oh, right," Link said, still looking around uneasily. "Just a f-frog. Thought it might be something _really_ dangerous."

"You seem uneasy," Daphnes said with a frown. "A lot happened to you today. Perhaps you should get some rest, I'll be lookout."

"But what about the Bokoblins?" Link asked.

"There are none in this corner of the woods," Daphnes said, shifting around to look at the rest of the forest. "Very near here is where the wolf makes its den."

Daphnes's tone suggested that statement should have felt reassuring. However, Link wasn't exactly keen on meeting a creature who could scare away nearly a dozen Bokoblins just by existing. Nevertheless, his eyelids were heavy and his mind was wandering. It wasn't long after laying his head on the ground that he fell asleep.

* * *

Link continued walking through the forest. It wasn't long after awakening that the Old Man had left him to go to his shack near the Eastern Abbey. It wasn't after leaving that Link considered if Daphnes had even stopped looking out to sleep during the night.

Link had wanted to see what else he could find here in the forest, but there wasn't even a Bokoblin camp. He was both glad and disappointed he couldn't find the wolf's den that Dahpnes had spoken of. For such a supposedly powerful entity, this beast was surprisingly hard to find.

Link eventually broke through into a clearing. There were many large rocks and boulders embedded in the ground and he took a moment to rest on one. He sat there for a while before pulling out his Sheikah Slate to look at the map again. Just as Daphnes had said, there were icons representing each of the Sheikah locations he had been to: the "Chamber of Resurrection," (Link found that name a bit unnerving considering it was the very place he had first woken up), the Plateau Tower, and Oman Au's shrine. He thought back to the other suggestion Daphnes made about searching for the shrines from a high place and the ability to travel instantly to any location. It all sounded a bit farfetched to Link, but he supposed that the worst that could happen was for the Slate to do nothing and listen to the Old Man have a good laugh at pulling his leg again.

Link's finger hovered over the tower icon. Before he could press it, he felt the boulder he was sitting on begin to shake. More than that, it began to rise into the air! Link was thrown off balance and fell off the boulder to land flat on his back.

He gazed with amazement and shock at what he was seeing. The boulder as well as several smaller rocks were floating in the air and connecting to each other. Eventually they all formed a somewhat humanoid shape. The stone creature turned around to face Link, despite having no visible eyes or facial features of any kind. It pounded the boulders that formed its "hands" on the ground in anger and began stalking towards Link.

Link stood up and began running. He knew none of his weapons could possibly scratch that thing, let alone do any lasting damage. And how did one fight a floating cluster of rocks anyway? He weaved between the trees, hoping that they would impede the giant's progress. The stone creature barely slowed as it uprooted every tree in its way, each with a casual smack. Link desperately tried formulating a plan and pulled out his Slate. As he looked at the Magnesis rune, a fragment of an idea entered his mind.

Link broke through the tree line and ran back towards Oman Au's shrine. The stone monster broke through not long after him, albeit in a much more literal fashion. It seemed to pause as it saw how far away Link was. There was a huge bog of bubbling dark sludge between it and its query.

It then proceeded to swing its arm so hard that it flew off its body and through the air. Link looked back and dove to the side just in time to avoid the massive boulder as it burst apart on the ground. He looked back and saw that the monster was now wading through the bog, so massive that Link could still see its "head." He looked around and saw a black boulder reflecting the sun's rays. He knocked lightly on it to test it and found that it was indeed solid iron.

The deep rumbling through the ground alerted him to the monster's footsteps as it approached Link. It was now only a few steps away, and even if it only had one arm now, Link was certain that the golem would have no problem squashing him.

It raised its remaining arm and Link could tell it meant to throw its appendage at him again. Link fumbled for his Slate, dropping it in his panic.

Then both of them froze when a long howl reverberated through the air. They both turned to see its source.

Standing atop a hill was a wolf. It was big for its kind; Link thought that if the beast stood on its hind legs it might be even taller than himself. Its back was covered in sleek black fur while its paws, face, and underbelly were white. Looking at the beast, Link felt that perhaps it was less a savage animal and more a noble creature.

The wolf bared its fangs at the stone monster, barking and snarling as it raced directly at it. The beast threw its arm at the wolf instead, which the beast easily sidestepped. Realizing he had an opportunity here, Link picked up his Slate and activated Magnesis. He picked up the iron boulder and looked at the stone monster. The wolf was literally running circles around it, with the stone monster making futile attempts at stomping out the animal. Link gave a sharp whistle.

"Get back!" he yelled at the wolf. It looked him in the eye and Link almost thought he saw the thing nod in understanding. It ran away, the golem giving chase.

The golem stumbled back from the great impact to its front, the iron boulder making huge cracks in its body/head. The monster stumbled a bit before falling onto its front.

Link laughed at his success, though his triumph was short-lived. The monster was standing back up, and with it were chunks of the cobblestone bricks that formed the ground. Dirt crumbled from its new hands and it stepped around the newly-formed craters in the ground.

The wolf barked again and Link turned to see it glancing deliberately between himself and the monster. Link followed its gaze and saw something he hadn't noticed earlier: there was a large vein of ore embedded in the monster's head. It was pulsing with a menacing red light.

Link got the message immediately. Before the monster could take another step forward, he swung the boulder at the ore. A satisfying and resounding _crack_ was made, and the monster stumbled. Its right foot slid into one of the craters it had made earlier and it flailed around as it attempted to pull itself back out.

Link swung the boulder again, this time completely crushing the ore.

Instantly, the golem froze in place. Piece by piece, its body fell apart, each piece cracking and crumbling away into Malice, leaving a small pile of various ores.

Link turned off Magnesis and found that he was breathing quite heavily. He turned to the wolf and looked it in the eye. They stood there staring at each other for a while as Link caught his breath. Link noticed that the wolf's eyes were a deep blue, just like his own.

"I was wondering what all this ruckus was about," said Daphnes from behind him. Link jumped at the man's voice and the wolf dashed away back into the forest. Link turned to the Old Man and gave him an angry look.

"Do you often sneak up on people who just fought for their lives?" he asked.

"Just you," Daphnes said.

"I thought you were heading back to your shack?" Link asked, putting his Slate back on his belt.

"I could hear the Stone Talus crashing through the woods all the way from the Eastern Abbey," "That is the name of the golem you encountered, a beast composed of solid Malice disguised as normal rock. It is fortunate that you survived given how ill-equipped you are."

Link did not reply, walking over to the small pile of ores. He could see a few pieces of amber and a single ruby.

"Ah, but perhaps you are even more fortunate to obtain its spoils," Old Man said, crouching down next to Link. "These will fetch you a good price with the shopkeepers off the plateau."

"But it's not exactly like I have anything to carry them with," Link said. "Unless I just wander around everywhere I go with an armful of gemstones."

The Old Man stroked his beard. "I have something that might help with that." He reached into his cloak and pulled out a small pack. "I think you will find that this will serve your purposes quite well."

Link looked at the pack. The opening was large enough to fit his axe, not that the rest of it could fit the massive weapon. As is, it looked large enough to hold all the ores and nothing else. He raised an eyebrow at the Old Man.

"A gift from the Great Fairy Cotera," Daphnes said. "It has much more space than it would appear. I daresay you may even be able to fit all your weapons within if you so wish."

Link took the pack dubiously and tried filling it with the ores. Surprisingly, not only could it hold all the gemstones, it didn't feel that much heavier after the fact. Plus, it was small enough to wear on his back without difficulty. He tried shoving the axe inside and watched in awe as it too disappeared inside the pack.

"Impressive," Link said, strapping the pack to his back. "But why exactly would this 'Great Fairy' gift something like this to you?"

Daphnes smiled. "Let's just say this is payment for a great debt."

Link shook his head. "Vague and mysterious as ever, Old Man."

The two of them stood up. "Will you seek out the other shrines now?"

Link nodded. "Still, climbing that tower will probably take me until long after noon."

"Unless you follow my suggestion," Daphnes said.

Link shook his head and held up his Sheikah Slate. "You can't honestly expect me to believe that this slab of stone will transport me up there instantly."

"Surely not as unbelievable as moving metal objects with no effort or a magic pack that can hold anything bigger than it," Daphnes said. "Try it for yourself."

Link sighed and looked at the map again. "If this kills me, I'm coming back to haunt you."

"Oho! I doubt it will come to that," Daphnes said.

Link took a deep breath and tapped the tower icon. After a moment, his entire body was enveloped with blinding blue light and Link squeezed his eyes shut in shock. He felt his body being lifted into the air and everything went white.

* * *

 **A/N: Silly Link! Leave the haunting to the real ghosts!**

 **So I don't know what happened, but when I first uploaded this story the other day, the front page was flooded with half a dozen other stories all being updated at the same time. Guess that's poor timing on my part.**

 **And now for some shameless self-promotion! Last night in a haze of half sleep I decided it would be an excellent idea to upload the most unlikely crossover of all time: Power Rangers x Zelda. Why? Well, because I felt like it of course! So feel free to head to my profile and check it out if you're into that. Anyway, I hope you liked it and look forward to the next chapter!**


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